I, Mark Roemer, know that the first step toward being productive when working from home is to create an environment that promotes efficiency and allows you to perform your job effectively daily.
Treat your home office the same way you would treat your cubicle at an office, including stocking it with all the necessary tools and keeping the place tidy. With these suggestions, you may bring your home office up to date.
A Well-Kept Office Space
Keeping your home office area clean entails more than just keeping it immaculate all of the time. It’s also essential to keep everything organized. If you’re not the most organized person in the world, use this advice from me to make your workspace ready for work:
- Installation of shelves to store books and notebooks
- Various multipurpose bins to store many different items
- To avoid needing to use scrap paper all the time, use a dry erase board to keep track of your notes
- Use only one file cabinet to cut down on the amount of clutter in your office
Distractions in an area can be reduced or eliminated through organization and cleanliness. You don’t need one more thing to distract you from your work when you’re already distracted by unwashed clothes and dirty dishes.
Make Sure There Is Plenty of Natural Light
If you want natural light during the day, you’re not alone in feeling this way. A poll of 1,614 North American employees conducted by the Harvard Business Review found that natural light and views of the outdoors were the most sought quality of the workplace — even more desired than a fitness center or premium amenities, the publication says. In the absence of natural light, 47 percent of employees said they felt fatigued, and 43 percent said they felt depressed.
Place your workstation in an area that receives plenty of natural light throughout the day—even if it isn’t directly adjacent to a window—to benefit from the natural light and all, it can provide you. Avoid rooms that have no windows or that have window coverings that block out the light from entering.
Good Artificial Lighting Is Essential
If you are unable to obtain natural light, adequate artificial lighting is essential. According to YLighting, bright fluorescent lighting can cause migraines, while dim lighting might cause eye strain. Fortunately, fluorescent lighting is unlikely to be present in your house; yet, selecting the appropriate type of lighting may make or break your space.
Ambient lighting, which is low in intensity and hence produces a more serene ambiance, is recommended by National Business Furniture. They also suggest corrective lighting, which is placed behind your monitor and helps to lessen the glare emitted by the display.
The Proper Tools and Equipment
Your line of business will determine the type of office equipment you require. Someone who writes online may never require anything other than a laptop, whereas someone who works with local clients may need to print materials before attending meetings.
Start with the following list to determine what, if anything, you’ll require:
- A Laptop as your primary work platform
- Extra monitors to have multiple screens to display your projects
- A printer (this can be wired or wireless depending on your needs)
- A paper shredder to dispose of sensitive documents
Be sure to factor in how often you’ll use the equipment and whether the cost of going to Staples to print or scan documents makes more financial sense than investing in it before making any purchases. In this situation, if you only publish once or twice a month, this may be the case, allowing you to save hundreds of dollars on your printer.
Plants Or Flowers
According to several studies, plants can relieve stress. While simply being in the presence of plants can provide stress reduction, active involvement with them, such as touching them, can also be beneficial. As a result, this simple decorative piece is essential for a productive home office.
Consider a selection of low-light, low-maintenance plants ideal for your home office if you don’t have a green thumb. Place them around your room and on your desk to serve as reminders of what you’re thinking about.
Ergonomic Devices and Equipment
Whether you’re working from home or not, you’re most certainly spending most of your day in front of a computer screen. Ergonomic accessories can help reduce sitting for long periods, such as back pain, potentially harmful effects.
According to Work-Fit, they also provide less visible benefits such as lower blood sugar levels, enhanced heart health, and improved happiness.
For your home office, here are a few ergonomic gadgets to take into consideration.
- Chairs with plenty of support
- A desk that can be used sitting or standing
- Keyboards and mousepads that have a cushioning support
- Monitor stands for low screens
Wireless Speaker for Conference Calls
An excellent wireless speaker will become your best buddy if you are on several calls throughout the day. A wireless speaker improves the sound quality, guaranteeing that you don’t miss any of what is being said around you. The trick is to invest in a speaker that also functions as a microphone so that you may remain mobile when making calls. It will mean that you will not have to stay near your phone to talk or listen.
There are several guides on the internet that can provide you with details and specs to make a well-informed decision on what kind of wireless speaker you should invest in.
Set-Up Your Home Office for Success
Make your home office a productive and efficient space where you may be as effective as possible. You may need to invest in new equipment or a few new plants to do this. You may need to relocate your place to a sunnier location. In the end, however, you’ll get more done, feel less stressed, and finish each day with a fresh outlook on the following day. I, Mark Roemer, hope that I have provided you with a detailed list that you can use to have a great home office experience.